Difficult exams, long research papers, and group presentations are just a few of the many challenges college students encounter during the weeks leading up to finals. The common denominator for all of these things is stress.
Most students experience some form of stress during college finals. While a little stress is OK because it motivates people to take action, too much stress can be harmful to a student’s health. The following tips offer ways college students can cope with stress during finals.
Exercise to Reduce Stress
According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise reduces stress. Physical activity decreases the production of stress hormones in the body and counteracts the body’s natural stress response. Therefore, students who engage in some type of physical activity during finals will have a much easier time coping with their stress.
Students can work out in their university’s fitness center, go for a walk or a run outside, and even practice yoga in their bedrooms. Students with limited time can combine social outings with physical activity, like organizing a volleyball game with friends.
Talk with Friends to Eliminate Stress
Sometimes, simply talking with a friend can be a powerful method for coping with stress. Talking out loud about the causes of stress enables students to better understand why they feel the stress, and an objective listener can provide insights into how the student can cope with the stress.
A student can meet with a friend to share his or her stressful experiences. Then, together, the student and friend can brainstorm ways to cope with that stress. Even if no definitive solutions are created, spending time with a friend will help to alleviate some of the stress.
Create a Schedule for Studying
The act of thinking about finals is often the catalyst for feeling stressed out. Students often think about their paper deadlines and exams until these things seem much worse than they really are, and they also stress out about how these finals will impact their college grades. Therefore, it’s beneficial to write down or type out a schedule for finals.
A finals schedule lets students map out time for completing finals projects and studying for final exams. Having a plan like this will reduce stress because time has been devoted to finals and the work will seem much more feasible to accomplish.
Organize a Study Group to Reduce Study Time
Some students experience stress during finals because they don’t understand material that will appear on their final exam. In addition to meeting with their instructors and utilizing campus tutoring services, students can organize study groups with their classmates.
A study group can be a great resource as students work together to understand difficult course material. Study groups can also help to eliminate students’ study time if the group works collaboratively by assigning each student a specific book chapter for the group review guide.
Meditate to Cope with Stress
Meditation is a popular relaxation technique practiced by people of all ages. According to the Mayo Clinic, "when you mediate, you clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress." Students can practice meditating during finals to help them eliminate their stress.
To meditate, students should find a quiet location and then sit or lie in a comfortable position. They should then focus on taking slow, deep breaths, focusing their attention on the motions.
Meditation is one of the many ways college students can cope with stress. In addition to deep breathing, students can exercise, talk with friends, create study schedules, and organize study groups. Students can perform any one of these to reduce stress in college.
References:
"Exercise: Rev Up Your Routine to Reduce Stress," The Mayo Clinic
"Meditation: Take a Stress-Reduction Break Wherever You Are," The Mayo Clinic
Anna Kendall - Anna Kendall is a freelance editor and writer. Her writing has appeared in various Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and she is the author ...
